Kumu Hula Paul K. Neves resides in Keaukaha-Hilo, Hawai’i on Hawaiian Homelands with his wife Wanda Mokihana, his daughter Akala, and his son Kinohi. Akalā is a 2011 graduate of the University of Portland. Kumu Paul is a student of the late Kumu Hula Wayne Kaho’onei Panoke, who in turn was a student of the late Kumu Hula Winona Kapuailohiamanonookalani Desha-Beamer. Kumu Kaho'onei was 'uniki from Aunty Nona in 1968. Kumu Paul was 'uniki from Kumu Kaho'onei in 1999 .

Kumu Paul opened Hālau Ha’a Kea o Akalā in 1998. This hālau name is now under the direction of his daughter, Kumu Hula Akalā Nāhikulani Neves. Kumu Akala intends to open the halau in Mexico City, Mexico. In 2004 he opened Hālau Ha’a Kea o Kinohi. This hālau, named for his son Kinohi, is now based jointly in Hilo, San Francisco, and Kyoto, Japan. In 2006, Kumu Paul opened Hālau Ha'a Kea o Mokihana in Washington DC and named the halau in honor of his wife. He has judged and participated in hula competitions in Hawai’i and Japan.

Since 1984 Kumu Paul has been very involved in the spiritual, cultural, and political challenges facing Native Hawaiian nationals and is an advocate of justice for Hawaiians. In 1987, Kumu Paul was a founding member of Ka Lāhui Hawai'i a sovereignty initiative and served two terms as its first elected LT Governor. Kumu Paul served the Roman Catholic community for 21 years as a Pastoral Associate at Malia Puka o Kalani Catholic Church in Keaukaha, Hawai'i.

Kumu Paul is an Ali'i No'eau Loa, high chief of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. He has given workshops on spiritual, cultural and political analysis of the Native Hawaiian Nationals in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, across the United States, Puerto Rico, Europe and at the United Nations in New York, the World Council of Churches and the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland. He has participated as an official observer for the Royal Order of Kamehameha I with regards to the Hawaiian Kingdom at The World Court in the Hague, Netherlands.

Kumu Paul is a cultural practitioner of the traditional ways of the Kanaka Maoli, Native Hawaiian people. Kumu Paul emphasizes aloha as a lifestyle, and within a halau setting, ‘ohana (family), alaka'i (leadership/ discipline), and lokahi (unity), as the core of our communal expression. Kumu Paul's purpose in supporting the creation of the hālau 'ohana communities is to lay a foundation of aloha with the goal of making a difference in the world today through the practice of Hawaiian culture and values.

Kumu Paul Neves

Photo courtesy of Reiko Hamano

Na Kumu

&

Halau Leaders

Na Halau Ha'a o Kea

The Kea style dance school

Kumu Akala Neves

Kumu Ladd Heleloa

Kumu Hula Akala Nahikulani Neves was born and raised in Keaukaha-Hilo, Hawai'i and is the daughter of Kumu Hula Paul K. Neves. She had her 'uniki, or official ceremony to become a Kumu Hula, on July 18th, 2008 in Hilo, Hawai'i, at the age of 18. Since then, she taught hula in Portland, Oregon during her time there pursuing her studies at the University of Portland. During this time she traveled to Europe to study during the summer of 2010 in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, and Poland. She also participated in an alternative Spring Break program, serving through learning about Immigration while in Nogales, Arizona. She was also the coordinator of the 'Ohana Program of her undergraduate institution which perpetuated the smooth family-like integration of freshmen minority students to the campus, many being from the islands. She has given many workshops and educational presentations of Hawaiian culture, history, politics, and values during her time spent in Oregon. She graduated in three years, with many honors from the University of Portland with a BA in Political Science and minors in Spanish and French. She is set to graduate from graduate school at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. She is majoring in International Studies & Diplomacy.

She attended Hawaiian Immersion Schooling since 2 years of age and graduated in May 2008 from Ke Kula 'O Nawahiokalani'opu'u Hawaiian Immersion Program. She is currently the Hawaiian Language teacher for Halau Ha'a Kea o Kinohi in Hilo, Hawai'i and teaches in the oral tradition. She is also a private tutor for Hawaiian, Spanish, and French and 'ukulele playing, as well as an employee of Orchid Isle Tutoring for improving the Reading & Writing, Mathematics, and Science skills of our Hilo community children. She is also a newly instated member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Heiau o Mamalahoa Helu 'Elua, Na Wahine Hui O Kamehameha, or Women's Auxiliary Chapter, and hopes to contribute to the leadership of the Hawaiian community through activism, education, and Aloha.

She hopes to travel more of the world to share the spirit of Hawai'i with all that she meets. Always an optimist, she believes that through hula and sharing the Aloha of the Hawaiian culture, communities can be enlightened and conflicts can be resolved. Through hula and the Hawaiian culture, she hopes to bring understanding of respect, family, humility, discipline, and love, or Aloha, globally. She is a true representation of traditional Hawaiian diplomacy. She now directs Halau Ha'a Kea O Mokihana in Washington D.C. She will be pursuing her educational doctorate on the east coast.

Kumu Ladd Kahele Heleloa was born and raised on the island of O'ahu. During his younger years, he attended St. Augustine School in Waikiki, Washington Intermediate, and graduated in1970 from McKinley High School in Honolulu. He continued his education at Kapi'olani Community College and graduated with an AS Degree in Hotel Operations Management. He worked in the retail industry at Ala Moana Center for 7 years then moved to Anaheim, California to work at Kono Hawai'i Restaurant. He was the Head Host at the Polynesian Showroom where local acts (i.e. Society of Seven, Teddy & Nancy Tanaka, The Reycards, Frank DeLima & Na Kolohe, etc) performed.

He relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada to join Kumu Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke's halau, Hula Halau o Kaho'onei. Under the direction of Kumu Wayne, he learned all facets of 'oli, adornment, and costuming, for 22 years and was uniki in Alexandria, Virginia while assisting him in teaching his haumana, Halau o 'Aulani. He returned to Las Vegas and started his own halau, Halau Ha'a o Heleloa. After living in Las Vegas and teaching for 30 years, Kumu Wayne insisted he return home to help him with a project. The project - to teach the Army soldiers and dependents hula and mele. After short diliberation, he packed up and returned home. After 2 weeks of teaching with Kumu Wayne, Kumu Wayne went to a Hawaiian Civic Club Convention on Maui and unfortunately had health problems and left this life. Bewildered, Kumu Ladd did not know what to do. The Native Hawaiian Liaison Office to the US Army's Garrison Hawaii, Annelle Amaral, offered him the position to continue the project for the Army. He immediately accepted.

Kumu Ladd currently teaches Kupuna/Makua for the State of Hawaii (DOE) at Ala Wai Elementary teaching Hawaiian Studies, Hula & Mele, to grades 3-5, and at Lunalilo Elementary, to grades 1-2 & 4. Kumu Ladd is an essential asset to us all as he coordinates costuming and all other matters connected to us.